The Edmonton Oilers will have to make do without one of their top players for a couple of games.

On Friday, Taylor Hall was suspended for two games by NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan for his knee on Minnesota Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck Thursday.

Hall won’t be available to the Oilers when they host the Phoenix Coyotes Saturday afternoon and travel to Chicago to face the Blackhawks in the first of a nine-game road trip on Monday.

“We have been informed of the league’s decision to suspend Taylor Hall for two games,” said Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini in a statement issued by the club. “We respect their decision and will make the appropriate lineup changes for tomorrow’s game against Phoenix.”

Hall caught Clutterbuck cutting across centre ice in the dying minutes of the Wild’s 3-1 win. Clutterbuck attempted to play a bouncing puck with his skate, but had it skip by him when Hall delivered a low hit to the unsuspecting winger.

Hall was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing on the play, while Clutterbuck had to be helped off the ice suffering a thigh contusion.

“We occasionally see players engaged in a one-on-one battle, in which the defending player’s bent knee, in an athletic position, makes contact while his opponent is making an evasive move. This is not one of those cases.” said Shanahan in his suspension video. “Although this play happens quickly, Hall is in control of himself and is in control of this hit. He makes the decision to step up and deliver a low check on a player who is not engaged to him whatsoever.